What does unisonous mean?
Unisonous is an uncommon adjective meaning that sounds are produced at the same pitch or in exact unison. It is especially used in descriptions of music, voices, or instruments: two lines may be described as unisonous when they begin and sustain the same note together. The word can also describe a sound or performance marked by an unbroken sameness, with little variation in pitch, rhythm, or volume; in this older figurative use, it approaches “monotonous.” Because ordinary English usually expresses these ideas with “in unison,” “uniform,” or “monotonous,” unisonous is more likely to occur in formal criticism, technical writing, or literary description than in everyday conversation. Its interest lies in its transparent construction: it combines unison, meaning agreement or one voice, with the adjective suffix -ous. Knowing the word helps distinguish simple musical agreement from the broader suggestion of uniformity, even when the latter sense is dated.
adjectiveProducing the same pitch or sounding together in unison. In older figurative use, it means lacking variation and therefore monotonous.
- Producing the same pitch or sounding together at the same time.
- Characterized by an unvarying sameness, especially of sound; monotonous.
"The singers began with a unisonous note, their voices blending into one sound."
"The singers began with a unisonous note, their voices blending into one sound."
"His unisonous delivery held the audience in a steady, unchanging mood."
Unisonous means “in unison”; its older figurative sense drifts toward “monotonous.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unisonous come from?
Unisonous was formed in English with the suffix -ous from unison. Unison came through French unisson and Medieval Latin unisonus, ultimately from Latin unus, meaning “one,” and sonus, meaning “sound.” The development of the adjective reflects the same two senses found in modern usage: exact agreement of sound and figurative sameness or monotony.
Related word forms
How unisonous is actually used
An uncommon and somewhat formal word, found chiefly in musical, critical, or literary contexts. Its figurative sense meaning monotonous is older and less common in present-day English.
Easily confused with unisonous
Unison is a noun meaning agreement or simultaneous sounding, whereas unisonous is an adjective describing sounds or performances that occur in unison.